CHARMED: DESPAIR
by stormcrow highmoon
Summary: LOST SOUL
1. Default Chapter

CHARMED R  
DESPAIR PART ONE: BLACK EYES CRYING  
  
  
  
It was almost closing time at P3. On stage, Poe was wrapping up with "HAUNTED". There was only a few patrons left in the club and Piper sighed gratefully. She was worn to the bone.  
Finally Piper was the only one left in P3. She went to her office in the back to snatch her car keys and the keys to lock up P3. When she came back out to the main room there was a sixteen year old girl standing in the middle of the dance floor. The girl was clutching a black leather travel bag tightly to her chest.  
All of her clothes were black. She wore a black dress with a short pleated skirt over a skintight black bodysuit, and black buckle shoes clad her feet. Her hair was raven wing black. Piper couldn't the color of her eyes because she had them downcast. She stood there making no sound.  
"Hi" Piper said. "Do you need something? I'm locking P3 up in a minute."   
The girl just stood there, eyes still downcast, making no sound.  
"Hey. Are you okay?" asked Piper softly.  
The girl lifted her eyes. They were also black. In them, Piper saw unbearable loneliness, sadness and pain. She also saw utter despair. The girl dropped her bag and threw herself into Piper's arms, sobbing without sound.  
Piper held the girl, rocking her back and forth while stroking her hair gently.  
"Hey, it's okay baby, it's okay." Piper said soothingly and started patting the girls back. She felt wetness and taking her hand away she saw it covered with a thick sticky red liquid. It was blood.  
"Oh my god." Piper exclaimed. "Your whole back is soaked with blood. I'm taking you home with me. My sister and I will help you. Do you want to come with me?"  
The girl into nodded. She picked up her bag and let Piper lead her out to her car after Piper locked up P3. She unlocked the car doors and buckled the girl into the passenger seat. Piper slid in the driver's side and started the car. She looked over at the girl.  
"Do you have a name honey?" Piper asked.  
The girl sat quietly looking at her.   
"You can talk, can"t you?"  
The girl opened her mouth and tried to speak but no sound came out. She turned away with tears in her eyes.  
"That's okay, don't cry. We're almost home."  
Five minutes later Piper pulled up in front of her house. She picked up the girls bag and said to her. "Let's go baby. Everything is going to be okay."  
The girl got out of the car, looked at Piper for a minute, then putting her arms around Piper's neck. She jumped wrapping her legs around Piper's waist and rested her head on Piper's shoulder contentedly. Piper carried her like that into the house.  
"Prue, Phoebe." She called out.  
"You're home." Said Phoebe as she walked into the room. She stopped when she saw the girl in Piper's arms.  
"Where's Prue." Piper asked.  
"She's upstairs." Phoebe replied. "Who's this?"  
At that moment Prue came down the stairs.  
"Who's this", She echoed Phoebe's question.  
"I don't know. I found her at P3. She's an innocent and needs our help."  
"What's wrong?"  
"The back of her dress is soaked with blood and she can't speak for some reason. She can't even make a sound." Piper answered.  
"Let's take her upstairs and have a look at her back." Phoebe.  
"Right" said Prue.  
Piper carried the girl up the stairs and into the large upstairs bathroom with Prue and Phoebe behind her. Pulling the girls dress off and gently removed the bodysuit. They got a good look at her back, gasping at the sight. Her back was covered with raw bleeding welts and there was evidence of older ones.  
"My god." Cried Phoebe. "Who could do such a thing as this to her."  
"I don't know," replied tearfully. "Let's get her cleaned up."  
They gently started cleansing her. The agony she felt as they did her back was obvious but even when she opened her mouth to scream no sound escaped.  
When they were done, Piper ran back downstairs to get the girl's bag. She brought it up to the spare room where Prue and Phoebe had taken the girl.  
Looking thru the bag she found a pair clean panties and bra. There was also a spare bodysuit and a dress like the other. They put one of Phoebe's oversized tee shirt on her and put her to bed and covered her with the covers. They sat with until she fell asleep. Phoebe looked thru the bag again.   
"Hey here's a picture of her." She said and flipped it over. "and her name."  
"What's her name?" Prue asked.  
"Cybele."  
  
END PART ONE.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. AGONY OF THE SOUL

CHARMED R  
DESPAIR PART TWO: AGONY OF THE SOUL  
  
  
The next morning when Cybele awoke, she found Phoebe asleep in a chair next to the bed. Cybele sat up and rubbed her eyes. Cybele's movements woke Phoebe up and she looked over at Cybele.  
"Good morning, angel" said phoebe. "Let me check your back. I'll try not to hurt you, okay?"  
Cybele nodded and turned around. Phoebe carefully raised the shirt and gently examined the welts on Cybele's back. Cybele drew away at Phoebe's touch, arcing her back in pain, tears streaming down her cheeks. Phoebe lowered the shirt and took the girl into her arms.  
"Don't cry, I know it hurts. We'll leave in this shirt, any thing else would rub your back raw. A t least you're not bleeding anymore."  
Phoebe took her by the arm and knocked on Prue's door. A second later Prue answered already dressed.  
"Piper's downstairs making breakfast ." Prue said. "How'd she sleep?"  
"She slept pretty good, but I think she had a couple nightmare." Phoebe answered.  
Prue looked into Cybele's eyes and saw they were haunted by despair, it saddened her to think what must have been done to Cybele to cause this.  
All three of them went downstairs where they could piper cooking in the kitchen. They smelled bacon frying. As they came into the kitchen Piper turned and smiled at them.  
"Good morning, sleepy heads. I'm almost done. We're having eggs, bacon and blueberry muffins."  
Prue put plates and silverware on the table while Phoebe helped Piper carry the food. Cybele sat down with Piper and Phoebe on either side of her and Prue across from her. While they ate they watched Cybele for any signs of pain or distress. She seemed a little sad but obviously felt safe with them. She knew they'd care for her and protect her from anyone or anything that would try to harm her in any way.  
After they were finished eating they took her upstairs and cleaned her back again. It was a very painful experience for Cybele. She writhed in pain and cried silently. When it was over Phoebe carried her downstairs to the sunroom. She put her in the softest chair and left her there to enjoy the sunlight streaming through the windows. Phoebe went to help Piper and Prue to clean up and to discuss what to do next.  
"She can't talk" Prue mused "but maybe she can write down what happened to her."  
"That's a good idea, Prue" said phoebe. Ít would herlp us to know who or what to protect her from."  
"Maybe she can tell us why it seems she can't make any sounds." Piper said. "I think she's being deliberately stopped from talking. Something wants to make it as hard as possible for us to help her."  
"I agree" Prue said. "We'll let her rest a while before we try, let's sit with her."  
When they were finished cleaning up they went to sit in the sunroom with Cybele. They spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon just lazing around the house and relaxing. After eating dinner Prue and Piper cleared the table while Phoebe went to get some paper and pencils. They sat at the table and gave Cybele the paper and pencils.  
"Cybele," said Piper, "We want you to write down everything you can about yourself and what caused this to you. Take your time, okay baby?"  
Cybele sat there thinking for a moment and then picked up the pencil. The minute the tip of pencil touched the paper, pain blasted through her body. She screamed silently and fell to her knees on the floor. This was not a physical pain but a defiling of her spirit, an agony of the soul;. She felt Piper pick her up and carry her to her bed. Then darkness embraced her soul and she knew nothing, descending into her own private hell.  
  
  
  
  
END PART TWO  
  
  



	3. THE KEY TO THE GATES OF HEAVEN

CHARMED R  
  
  
DESPAIR PART THREE: THE KEY TO THE GATES OF HEAVEN   
  
All that night Prue, Piper and Phoebe took turns sitting with Cybele. She lay there, not moving, eyes tightly closed and barely breathing. When morning finally came they all gathered in Cybele's room, worried.  
"There's no change." Phoebe said tearfully. "If she wasn't breathing I'd think she was dead."  
Piper knelt beside the bed and gently shook Cybele calling out to her.  
"Cybele, wakeup honey. Come back to us. Please baby come back."  
There was no response, Cybele didn't move, Her breathing shallow and faint. Piper buried her face in her hands and wept. Prue and Phoebe were also crying. It looked like this was an innocent they had been helpless to protect. They were filled with sorrow for her and anger for whoever had done this to her, an almost all consuming rage at the one responsible for this unspeakable act.  
Then from downstairs they heard a loud crash. They ran downstairs. Their front door lay smashed and broken against the back wall of their living room. Standing in the front doorway was a large demon.  
The demon stood almost nine feet tall. Hair like rusty barbwire framed a face out of a nightmare. Its eyes were like windows to hell. The large wide mouth was filled with two inch needle sharp teeth. His arms were thick with corded muscles and his hands were tipped with one foot long razor sharp metal blades. Its chest was barrel shaped and its thick legs ended in big clawed feet. It smiled at them. A smile that sent jolts of terror through them.  
"Give me the girl." The demon snarled.  
Prue yelled back. "Why do you want her?"   
"The source wants her, not I." He replied. "She is very important."  
"Why?' piper asked. "Why is she so important to the source?"  
"She is the key."  
"The key?" asked Prue, confused. "The key to what?"  
"She is the key to the Gates of Heaven. With her the source can invade heaven. I tried to persuade her to help us, but she escaped. But before she got away we put a seal on her. A seal that kept her from communicate in anyway."  
"You're the one who did this to her?" Phoebe screamed furiously. "You God damned bastard, we'll vanquish your sorry ass!"  
" Phoebe, go protect Cybele. We'll take care of him." Yelled Prue.  
"Okay." Phoebe answered and started towards the stairs.  
"NO!" roared the demon. He raised his hand and shot a ball of energy towards her. It enveloped her, she screamed and dead crumpled to the floor, her lifeless body smoking.  
"PHOEBE!!" screamed Prue. "You son of a bitch! You killed her."  
"As will I all unless you give me the girl." He laughed mockingly.  
"You won't get her." Prue said flinging him back out the door. "I won't ever let you touch her again."  
The demon roared with fury and came rushing back into the house, his face even more hideous from anger.  
"Piper, freeze him." Said Prue.  
Before either one could move the demon knocked both of them across the room. Only half conscience, Piper looked up and she saw something that skocked her.  
Floating down the stairs was Cybele, her eyes were a molten gold. An aura coruscating energy surrounded her. She floated between the demon and the Halliwells. She looked at the demon and said.  
"Now it begins."  
  
END PART THREE  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. THE BATTLE FOR THE KEY

CHARMED R  
DESPAIR FINAL CHAPTER: THE BATTLE FOR THE KEY  
  
Cybele floated before the demon. "You shall not hurt these friends of mine."  
"Eat this bitch." He snarled and threw a ball of energy at her. She raised her hand and easily deflected it.  
The demon roared, "The source will have you little girl. After he's done with you and taken heaven, he'll toss your soul into the deepest pits of hell!"  
Cybele looked at Prue and Piper and was distracted for a second.  
"Look out!!" yelled Prue.  
Cybele turned back to the demon but she was a little too late. His big fist caught her on the side of her head snapping it back and blowing her into the far wall. She crumpled to the floor. The demon moved towards her. Piper tried to freeze him but he backhanded her as he passed, knocking her to the floor again.  
Standing over Cybele, he grabbed her by the throat and squeezed, slowly forcing the breath out of her. She felt herself starting to back out.  
The demon did not notice Prue standing up and flinging a sharp piece of wood straight at his back. Point first it struck, burying itself deeply in the demons back. Roaring he turned around.  
"You'll pay for that witch. Now feel the fires of hell."  
He tossed a giant ball of fire at Prue, but she ducked out of the way at the last moment. He was about to toss another when searing golden light enveloped him. His roars changed from roars of rage to screams of agony. He turned towards the source of his pain. Cybele was floating, golden light streaming from outstretched hands.  
"You may have the powers of hell to aid you, but I have the powers of heaven and God to strengthen me. Now, go hence back ye came."  
The demon screamed and disappeared in a thunderous column of flame. Cybele found Prue and Piper crying over Phoebe. Wordlessly, Cybele knelt beside Phoebe's body and gently laid her hands on her. Bowing her head, golden light coursed through her hands to cover Phoebe's body. Then Phoebe drew a sharp breath and opened her eyes.  
"What happened?" she asked.  
Prue turned to Cybele, "She was dead."  
"Yes." Answered Cybele, "but the power of god restored her."  
"Thank you." Piper said.  
"And I thank you." Said Cybele. "for protecting me."  
A bell rang from above.  
"I must go now," Cybele told them. "I will miss you."  
"We love you." Said the three sisters.  
"And I you."  
A beam of light surrounded her and she slowly faded away. "Goodbye."  
"Goodbye." Breathed Prue, Piper and Phoebe.  
  
  
  
THE END  



End file.
